The Attorney General yesterday commenced his oral submissions regarding the appeal petitions filed by former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and former Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) Director General Anusha Palpita, challenging Colombo High Court’s judgment to convict them regarding the Sil Redi distribution case.
In his oral submissions, Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige appearing for the Attorney General informed the Court that there is no error on the part of the trial judge to proceed with the case from the proceedings where the preceding judge had stopped. DSG Mudalige further stated that after evaluating evidence of the witnesses, the trial judge had come to a conclusion that several witnesses had acted in a biased manner being sympathetic towards the accused.
He further said funds had been remitted contrary to the provisions of TRC Act and the prosecution has to prove the dishonest intention of the accused. Former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and former TRC Director General Anusha Palpita had been sentenced to three-year-rigorous imprisonment by Colombo High Court for misappropriating Rs. 600 million of funds belonging to the TRC.
Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige is to make his further submission on the next date as well.
Accordingly, Appeal petitions filed by former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and former Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) Director General Anusha Palpita challenging the judgment of Colombo High Court were yesterday fixed for further argument on August 27 by Court of Appeal Judges Kumuduni Wickremasinghe and Devika Abeyratne.
On September 7,2017, Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita were found guilty of misappropriating Rs. 600 million of funds belonging to TRC over Controversial Sil Redi (fabrics used by devotees to observe sill) distribution case.
Through their appeal applications, two accused-appellants stated that they were seeking the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal to review and set aside their conviction imposed by the High Court dated September 7, 2017.In their petitions, the accused-appellants stated that neither a sum of Rs 600 million nor a part of it were utilised by them for their personal gains. They further stated that the High Court judge had given them a short period of time (13 days) to pay off the compensation.
Each accused were further ordered to pay a fine of two million rupees and in default of the payment of fine they will have to serve additional one year imprisonment.
President’s Counsel Faiz Musthapha with Shavindra Fernando, Counsel Kanchana Ratwatte and Janaka Ranatunga appeared for the appellant accused. Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige appeared for the Attorney General.
